Firefighters have been working throughout the night to tackle a huge blaze at a cancer research centre in Manchester's Christie Hospital .

Large numbers of crews from across the region remain at the scene and have been battling the flames for almost 24 hours, after fire broke out in the roof of the Paterson Building, on Wilmslow Road, Withington , at 10.30am on Wednesday.

Overnight a number of relief crews working in shifts have taken over, wearing breathing apparatus to continue to fight pockets of fire in the roof.

Firefighters, working alongside officers from the Christie, have also been able to salvage a number of high value items to help preserve the important work of cancer research scientists.

Image captured by the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s Air Unit showing the extent of the damage caused and pockets of fire still burning (Image: GMFRS Air Unit)

21:14

Images from the day

It’s been a huge operation for the fire crews today. Here are some of the moments captured by our photographers:

Fire at the Christie Hospital site (Image: Steve Allen)

(Image: Vince Cole)

20:40KEY EVENT

Latest information for Christie patients

Here’s the latest for anyone expecting treatment at The Christie tomorrow:

Any patients who are attending for treatment tomorrow need to attend as normal.

Both car parks D (Wilmslow Road) and C (Palatine Road) are open although there may be disruptions to local roads. If this is the case, there will be staff on hand to help.

Patients are also able to use the free park and ride service which runs to and from Derwent Avenue, Manchester M21 7QS.

20:36

Christie boss thanks emergency services

Christine Outram, chair of The Christie, has hailed emergency crews and medical staff for their efforts today.

20:18KEY EVENT

'Disruption to research'

While staff can carry out some of their work off-site, there will be ‘inevitable disruption to research’. Alison Barbuti, Cancer Research UK North West spokeswoman, told us this evening:

Some of the work done by the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute is based in the Manchester Cancer Research Centre building on the other side of Wilmslow Road and some is done in the Paterson Building.

Work in the MCRC will continue as normal and is unaffected. Where they can Paterson-based staff will continue with their work off-site but there will inevitably be some disruption to research.

20:04

What kind of research takes place there?

Reporter Sam Yarwood has more information about the work done at the Paterson Building:

The research centre is part of the University of Manchester, located in the grounds of The Christie Hospital, and funded by Cancer Research UK. Last year, the charity spent £22m at the Manchester site on some of the UK’s leading scientific and clinical research.

Over the next five years it had planned to pump almost £40m into the facility, and just last month awarded scientists £1.2m to help transform pancreatic cancer treatment in the UK. Pancreatic cancer is one of the Paterson Building’s main areas of study along with research into blood cancers, lung cancer and drug discovery work.

19:39

Full extent of damage not clear

Jane Bullock, CRUK North West spokesperson said: “The fire service has told us that the fire was in the roof of the plant room of the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute which is where mechanical equipment and associated electrical equipment is housed. It is not a room occupied by our researchers.

“At this stage we have been advised by emergency services that we can’t get into the building fully until next Tuesday and we will have to wait 24 hours for just emergency access so we won’t know the full extent of the damage until after this time.”

19:10

What the incident commander told us earlier

What the incident commander told us earlier. Say they hope to re-open routes ASAP but likely to remain closed for a while pic.twitter.com/wQvZ25zaLh